Method of making closure-caps



F. G. WIELAND.

METHOD OF MAKING CLOSURE CAPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1919.

1,327,454, Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

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METHOD OF MAKING CLOSURE CAPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1919.

1,327,454, I Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

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FREDERICK G. WIELAND, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO ANCHOR CAP & CLOSURE CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD OF MAKING CLOSURE-CAPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 6, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Closure-Caps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to the manufacture of metallic closure caps designed for use as bottleor jar closures, and more substantially to the manufacture of screw caps. The principal object of the invention is to provide a method of forming jar or bottle caps of the quick thread type, which are characterized by having interior projections on the skirt of the cap, which projections are adapted to engage the threads or similar securing portions formed on the neck of the receptacle on which the cap is used.

A further object is to provide a method for manufacturing such caps, by virtue of' which the metal forming the thread-engaging lugs are formed under compression,

so that they are rigid and substantially.

non-yielding.

A still further object is to provide a method for forming such a. cap by virtue of which the thread-engaging lugs are formed under compression and reinforced in their proper position by the forming of metal about them in the shape of a bead or wire edge.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a method of manufacturing a cap of the character described which comprises providing excess metal ad acent the skirt of the cap and then compressing the excess metal inwardly to form threadengaging lugs.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a method of making a cap whereby excess metal is provided at intervals in a flange adjacent the lower portion of the skirt of the cap, then forcing the extion will be obvious, or pointed out hereinafter, reference being made to the accompanymg drawings forming a part of this application, in whichigure 1 is a face view of a form of blank whlch may be formed as one step in my improved method; 1g. 2 is a perspective view showing the lnslde of a partially formed cap in the process of manufacture according to my method;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a partially formed cap in the process of manufacture by my improved method, illustrating the fashion in which the thread-engaging lugs are formed;

Fig. 4 is a bottom View of a completed cap formed according to my method, and illustrating the I'QSlJllt thereof in the provision of the thread-engaging lugs and the rolled or wire edge;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line A--A of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substan tially on line BB of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially online CC of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a comv pleted cap formed according to my method;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of a form of shaping device which may be utilized to effect the shaping of the cap from the form illustrated in Fig. 2 to the forms illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5; and

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of a form of shaping mechanism which may be utilized in my method to effect the shaping of the form illustrated in Figs. 4, 6, and 7 from the form illustratedin Figs. 3 and 5.

Heretofore in the art there have been three general ways of manufacturing screw caps. The first included the spinning of screw threads in the skirt of the cap, said screw threads being adapted for cooperation with mating threads formed on the container which the cap is designed to close. The other two ways of makingscrew caps being both related to what is known as quickthread caps. One way of making such caps has comprised the indenting of the. skirt of the cap at intervals to provide lugs adapted to cooperate with the threads on the container. The other way of making the quick-thread type of. cap has comprised the striking up of small lugs b bending inwardly the edge of the skirt. n some cases the rawedge of the skirt is bent inwardly, and in other cases a wire or rolled edge is first formed at the bottom of the skirt, and portions of said wire or rolled edge then flattened and deflected inwardly.

A form of cap which may be manufactured by my improved method is illustrated and described in my co-pending application,

Serial Number 279,499 filed February 27,

1919, wherein the advantages of the form of cap whose method of manufacture is described herein, are pointed out. By the utilization of my improved method of manufacture I am enabled to form a cap which is free from the objections to which caps ing in of the metal in the skirt or lower marginal portion of the cap to form the thread engaging lugs, forms weak lugs, due to the stretching of the metal, and weakens the skirt against stresses which tend to produce circumferential strains.

By the utilization of the method comprising my present invention, I am enabled to form a cap of the quick-thread type by forming the thread-engaging lugs from metal originally included as excess in the blank, which excess metal is forced inwardly in suchv manner that the lugs are formed under compressive forces, and reinforced in such condition, so that any stresses which tend to force the lugs outwardly when the cap is in use are effectively resisted. By actual experiment it has been found sub stantially impossible to stripv the threadengaging lugs of a cap formed by my improved method, over the threads on the container.

Furthermore, by the use of my improved method I am enabled to provide the wire or rolled edge continuously about the skirt of the cap so that the symmetry of the cap is retained, and at the same time circumferential strength obtained in the skirt portion.

My improved method includes the forming of a blank having excess metal in certain parts thereof, and then forcing inwardly 1 the material in the portions where the excess metal is included, to form the threadengaging lugs, and shaping the marginal portion of the metal into a rolled "or wire edge extending continuously around the article and overlying the inwardly displaced portions which constitute the thread-engaging lugs. This method may be carried out in various ways but preferably is carried out by punching and spinning. The blank is first punched and formed to comprisea cap having a skirt portion and a flange extending angularly therefrom with excess metal at various portions thereof. This cap is then preferably placed in a spinning mechanism which first subjects the flange to radial forces whereby the excess metal portions of the flange are driven inwardly until the perimeter of the flange substantially circular and the excess metal portions extend inwardly from the skirt. Before leaving the spinning mechanism the cap is brought into engagement with the wire edge spinning rolls, which turn the blank upon itself to form the finishing wire edge or head. Included with the final spinning operation may be an operation whereby the skirt portion of the cap is knurled or fluted.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that in Fig. lis illustrated a form of blank which is substantially circular with the exception of extensions 2 which in the present case are located uniformly at 90 degrees around the periphery of the blank. In Fig. 2 the blank has been cupped to provide a cover portion 4 which may contain an ornamental bead 5, a skirt portion 6, which is integral with and depends from the cover portion 4:, and a flange 7 at the lower edge of the skirt portion. It will be noted that the excess metal or extensions 2 are maintained in the flange at this time. The operations illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 may be combined, or may be accomplished by a single stroke of a suitable press. The blanks shown in Fig. 2 can be operated upon by suitable spinning mechanism such as that illustrated in Fig. 9. This spinning mechanism comprises a blank carrying head 8 adapted to support the article, said head being formed with an inset portion or shoulder 9 adapted to underlie the lower edge of the skirt portion when the skirt portion is supported on the peripheral face of the head 8. This flange carrying head is arranged to be brought into cofiperation with a spinning head 10 adjacent which is a guide plate 11. The spinning head 10 is shaped with the concave forming face 12, which is adapted to contact with the marginal portion of the flange 2 when the cap is supported on the head 8. The action of the forming face 12 is to partly curl the flange 7 toward the skirt portion 6, said deflection of the flange being limited by an opposed forming face 14, and

1 retained in proper form by co-action of the spinning heads 8 and 10. This operation leaves the article with the perimeter of the flange in substantially circular form, as shown in Fig. 3, and with the inwardly projecting thread-engaging lugs 19 formed of a double turn of metal and as illustrated in Fig. 5. At the completion of this lug forming operation the article may be subjected to the action of a spinning device such as that illustrated in Fig. 10. The cap, which may still be carried on the original supporting head 8, is brought into cooperation with a spinning head 20 which is formed with concave shaping face 21 adapted to engage the partially curved flange 7. The action of forming face 21 is to complete the curl of the flange so that it forms a closed bead or wire edge of the form illustrated at 22 in Figs. 6 and 7. It will be observed that the wire edge formed in this fashion is continuous and unbroken about the periphery of the skirt portion, and that it overlies the inwardly projecting thread-engaging lugs 19,

forming a restricting member which retains them under the compression in which they were formed. the spinning heads 8 and 20 may be such as to press the skirt portion into a knurled or fluted form, so that the finished cap will have the appearance illustrated in Fig. 8.

\Vhile I have illustrated two separate spinning devices, for the purpose of explaining the method, it will be understood that the practice of the method is" not limited to the forming of the thread-engaging lugs and the wire edge by separate devices.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The method of manufacturing a closure cap which method comprises forming a blank having excess metal projections adja cent the edge thereof; cupping the said blank to form a cover portion, and a skirt with a flange adjacent the lower edge of the said skirt, the said flange having excess metal projections on the edges thereof; then supporting a portion of the said skirt and applying forces to the edge of the said flange whereby the excess metal is driven radially inwardly and folded upon itself adjacent the edge of the skirt of the cap substantially as specified.

2. The method of manufacturing aclo- If desired, the formation of sure as specified which method comprises forming a blank comprising the cover portion of the cap to which an annular skirt depends and with a flange extending from the said skirt with excess metal portions in the said flange; then subjecting the excess metal portions of the flange to forceswhereby projections are formed fromthe excess metal with the metal in the projections under compression forces; then shapi1(11g the edge of the skirt into a wire rolled e ge.

3. The method of manufacturing a closure cap which method comprises providing a blank having a cover portion and a skirt portion with a flange extending at substantially a right angle to the skirt portion and with excess metal portions extending from the edge of the said flange; then. subjecting the excess metal portions of the flange to radial forces whereby the excess metal is driven inwardly and folded upon itself to comprise projections extending on the inner side of the skirt; then forming the remaining metal of the flange into a rolled wire edge.

4 4. The method of manufacturing a closure cap which comprises providing a blank comprising a cover portion, a skirt integral with said cover portion, and a flange extending outwardly from the lower edge of the said skirt, said flange being provided with excess metal portions; then spinning the said blank and applying pressure to the edge of said flange whereby the excess metal portions are driven inwardly and the metal folded upon itself to form chord-like projections on the interior lower edge of the skirt; then spinning the remainder of the said flange into a rolled wire edge.

5. The method of manufacturing a closure cap including the forming of a blank to provide an annular skirt portion with a peripheral flange extending therefrom, then applying force to said flange effective in the plane thereof to compress and displace portions of it inwardly transversely of the skirt portion to form thread-engaging lugs. I

6. The method of manufacturing a closure cap including the forming of a blank to provide an annular skirt portion with a peripheral flange extending angularly therefrom, then applying force to said flange to displace portions of it inwardly across the skirt portion to form thread-engaging lugs, and finally curling portions of the flange to form a continuous peripheral wire edge.

7. The method of manufacturing a closure cap including the forming of a blank to provide an annular skirt portion with a peripheral flange extending angularly therefrom, supporting said skirt portion while angularly applying force to said flange to displace portions of it inwardly across the skirt portion, and finally curling the flange to provide a continuous wire edge about the skirt portion.

8. The method of manufacturing a closure cap which comprises shaping a blank to form a cover portion with an annular depending skirt'having a flange extending laterally from the margin thereof. with excess metal portions extending radially from said flange, and then subjecting the excess metal portions of the flange to forces whereby metal is displaced inwardly relative to the skirt to form projections with thematerial therein under compression.'

9. The method of manufacturing a closure cap which comprises shaping a ductile blank to form a cover portion with an annular depending skirt having a flange extending normal relative thereto, and then sub- I ject-ing the flange to forces directed radially of the cover portion whereby to compress material in said flange and displace portions thereof inwardly relative to the skirt to form inwardlyextending locking lugs with the material thereof under compression.

FREDERICK G. VVIELAND. 

